


Just The Way You Are

by DemonicPresence



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Sun & Moon | Pokemon Sun & Moon Versions
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, I love my soft squishy son, Love the Bone Boi, Marowak is the partner Pokémon, Mimikyu is precious, SO, also Acerola can talk to Ghost Pokémon and understand them in this, and its Pokédex entries are so sad, had to make some fluff out of it, listen, trainer is left ambiguous so you could call it self insert I guess, you don't understand
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 06:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17402000
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonicPresence/pseuds/DemonicPresence
Summary: What happens when you meet a Pokémon who just wants to be loved?





	Just The Way You Are

I admit it. The Thrifty Megamart was spooky, even for me. I’m no stranger to Ghost-type Pokémon in my travels – my partner Marowak was proof of that, walking steadfastly beside me. But this place was ominous, decrepit and it screamed ‘abandoned’ from a mile away. But I was enjoying the Trials around the Alola region, and this was the next stop.

I stepped up the stairs to meet Acerola, and she grinned at me, her purple hair shining in the light rainfall.

“Hey! So, guess I should explain what kind of trial this is, huh?” she grinned, waving at me. “This old building is full of Ghost-type Pokémon. Did you know?”

“I could guess pretty well,” I said dryly, and she laughed before continuing.

“Here’s where the trial part comes in: You’ve got to find the Totem Pokémon of this site and snap a shot of it with a Poké Finder! The totem is a bit of a trickster, and it likes to play hide-and-seek and mess around. If you take pictures of the other Ghost-type Pokémon inside, it’ll definitely come out to get in on the fun and have its photo taken, too!”

“Sounds like fun.” I reached down to pet Marowak’s head, and he called out, tossing his bone staff as he danced excitedly. Acerola nodded.

“So, if you see something weird happening inside this old place, try to check it out – I bet you’ll find a Ghost-type Pokémon causing mischief, so get its photo before its gone!” She stepped closer, holding out her hand. “I’ll just borrow your Poké Finder for a sec.”

I nodded and handed her my Rotom Dex. She giggled as she fiddled with it. “And your Rotom is a Ghost-type, too! We just do this, and…” There was a click and small musical noise, “There! I’ve set it up to use a special shooting mode just for this trial. You’ll only be able to use it at this site, though. As soon as you enter the building, your trial will begin. Got it?” 

“Got it. Let’s go, Marowak.” Marowak chirped happily as I took the Dex back and grinned at her, turning to face the entrance.

“And you can’t catch any of the Pokémon, either,” Acerola said as I stepped towards the doors, and I frowned to myself, “And you can’t leave without giving up, so make sure you’re ready for anything! Good luck!”

I took a deep breath as I stared at the building: the patchy red-and-grey brick walls, the weeds growing by the metal accents, the old sign hanging at an angle over the rusted grey doors. I placed my hand on the slick metal and pushed. We walked inside.

 

The first thing I noticed was the cool, stale air. Carts were strewn everywhere, boxes and shelves and all manner of things in disarray, creating a maze of abandoned items. Dirty lights flickered randomly, some of them out completely, illuminating the bone-like patterns on the back of Marowak’s black body. Marowak and I moved cautiously deeper into the store, rounding the cashier lanes as we looked around. The only sounds were our footsteps and the quiet puffs of breath as we walked.

A whirring noise sounded out of nowhere, and I turned to see a conveyer belt on a cashier lane start to move on its own. I gulped, and my fist tightened on the strap of my backpack. I pulled out my Dex so it was in the palm of my hand.

“Ready, Marowak?” I asked softly, and he tossed his Thick Club in the air in response, the long, hard bone gleaming dully in the low light. He loved to battle as much as he loved his dances. We walked closer to the belt, and Rotom came to life in my hands as the Poké Finder function flickered to life. Looking through the lens, we saw a Ghastly floating over the cashier’s stand, messing with the belt. A click of the lens was all it took for it to focus on us, and a battle ensued.

It was over swiftly; long hours of training on the road had made my team strong and bonded, but this was a Ghost-type trial, and Marowak had an advantage being a Ghost- and Fire-type. Though the type advantage was also his disadvantage.

As the Ghastly faded away, a flash of yellow caught my eye. Spinning, I caught sight of a lightning bolt-shaped tail disappearing around a corner. I blinked. _A Pikachu? Here?_

We trekked deeper into the store. A shopping cart rattling ominously turned out to be the work of a mischievous Haunter, and once that battle finished, I caught site of the Pikachu again darting down an isle towards the back of the building. Following, Marowak and I encountered Poké Dolls levitating in midair. Marowak was enthralled by it, but we quickly took down the Gengar behind it.

I was crouched down, spraying a Super Potion onto Marowak’s scrapes when the scraping of heavy rubber against the floor made me look up in time to see the Pikachu once more. It nudged the wide double doors open just enough for it to slip into the back room. Marowak chanted eagerly when he saw it too and looked up at me imploringly.

“You said it, buddy. You ready?” He rubbed his head against my leg affectionately, and I grinned, “Then let’s go!”

The clicking of a lock springing open startled us as we approached the door. I had to stand there for a moment, taking a deep breath. Marowak’s hand on my pants leg made me glance down at him and smile. I looked up. I placed my hand on the door and pushed. We walked in.

 

The room was small and cramped, the dusty light at the celling only allowing a watery imitation of fluorescent light into the room. As the doors swung shut behind me, my skin crawled up my spine as I felt a pair of eyes somewhere in the room, unseen, sizing me and Marowak up. I jumped as the Rotom Dex sprang from my hand, the Poké Finder coming online all on its own. My mouth went dry, but I peered intently at the screen. I frowned.

The walls were covered. Posters, drawing, photographs – all of Pikachu and Pichu. Advertisements from around the world, all featuring the most known and most loved Pokémon. There were hand-drawn scribbles of a deformed-looing Pikachu being hugged by children, and close-up photos of the ears, tail, and facial expressions of the yellow mouse. I glanced down at Marowak, confused.

“What is all this?” I spoke aloud, and a shrill cry rang out behind me. My body locked into place, Rotom floating just above my waiting palms. Slowly, we turned. I looked down through the screen.

Pikachu was standing there, shrouded in the shadows by the door behind Marowak and I, bouncing side to side in place. Only, it wasn’t Pikachu.

 _“Seeeeeee meeeee?!”_ A ghostly voice rang out, and the Pokémon lunged forward. Marowak quickly leaped between us, knocking me backwards to give him as much room as I could in the small space. As it entered into the thin light, I saw it more clearly.

A small Ghost Pokémon stood there, dressed in what looked like a hand-made Pikachu costume. The yellow cloth was stuffed at the top to make a head, two scraggly black-tipped ears sticking out of it. The face was scribbled on with marker, the eyes slightly off-set spirals and a thick squiggly line connecting the iconic scribbled red cheeks. A lightning bolt-shaped stick waved merrily behind it. It blinked, and it was then I saw the two little eye holes in the costume’s chest. Something black and amorphous danced under the fringes of the costume, and I saw one black shape (its foot? a tail?) holding the stick in place.

This was the Totem Pokémon of this trial. Rotom Dex woke up once again and told me that its name was Mimikyu.

Its aura flared to life as it cried out again, and Marowak danced in anticipation, spinning his club in one hand and awaiting my directions.

“Go on, Marowak, I know you can do it! Use _Brutal Swing!_ ” I called. Dark aura danced around Marowak’s body as he lunged forward, his club connecting with the side of the head of Mimikyu’s costume. A direct hit!

But as Marowak leaped back, the Mimikyu didn’t flinch, didn’t move. I saw the eyes in its chest widen as the head slumped back, its ‘neck’ broken. The costume was damaged. A Disguise. It took no damage from Marowak’s attack. That didn’t startle me. Pokémon had all kinds of different special moves and abilities to aid them in battle.

What startled me was the long, drawn out wail that Mimikyu let out. It could only be described as a howl of anguish. I saw its eyes lock onto Marowak, and it leapt forward, surrounding him in a punishing Fairy-move called _Play Rough_. It didn’t do much damage, but I saw that Mimikyu meant business. I saw the anger in its eyes, and more surprisingly, pain.

It let out another ringing cry, and I knew what that call meant. It yelled for reinforcements, and within seconds a Haunter phased into the room, it’s tongue wagging mockingly as it floated in the air next to Mimikyu.

I knew we had to finish this quickly. If Mimikyu pulled out a Ghost-move while powered up and angry, we were in trouble. I called to Marowak and asked for _Brutal Swing_ again, and he raced for the Haunter. It connected with enough force to knock the Pokémon out and it fainted, and I yelled in triumph to Marowak, who nodded. But as he leapt back to wait for my next direction, the edge of Mimikyu’s costume moved. A long black hand snaked out from under the worn fabric and sailed straight for Marowak, long, lethal claws spread and ready. _Shadow Claw._

I cried out in warning, but it was too late. The midnight claws slashed through Marowak’s chest, leaving long, painful scratches. Marowak cried out and stumbled but continued on, slamming into the Mimikyu again with the force of his Brutal Swing. This time, the Pokémon was sent stumbling back, reeling from the force of the Dark-type move. We were nearly there.

“Now, Marowak, you’ve got this! _Shadow Bone!_ ” I yelled, and a ghostly light danced around Marowak’s bone staff. Marowak rubbed the ends of the bone against his face swiftly over the black pattern, making ghostly green flames flare eerily. With a swing nowhere near Mimikyu, it was knocked to the ground with the force of an invisible blow. I winced at the pitiful cry Mimikyu let out, and I swore its eyes didn’t leave mine for a second as it fainted.

Marowak turned to me, leaning on his bone staff, the flames extinguished, panting. Its dark fur was stained around the wounds _Shadow Claw_ left, but there was a wistful pride in his eyes. I smiled gently at him.

“You did so well, Marowak. I’m proud of you,” I said softly, and his eyes shut tiredly. I turned to check on the Mimikyu, and I started when I realised it was gone. As I looked around for it in the small room, my Poké Finder beeped. Pulling it out, I saw the latest picture taken: a fuzzy image of Mimikyu peering into the lens. Marowak leaned up and looked at the photo too. We looked at each other.

Marowak and I had won. But we didn’t feel like winners.

 

It had stopped raining. Acerola was standing near the chain-link fence, waving happily at us. Her patched dress reminded me of a Pokémon from the Unova region I had read about somewhere that could be found in Hau’oli Cemetery; what was it again? Litwick? Lampent?

Marowak and I walked over tiredly. I had only a Potion left, and it hadn’t been enough to take care of Marowak’s wounds completely; the cuts still oozed sluggishly but didn’t seem to be paining him. 

“Hey, welcome back!” Acerola said cheerfully, “I can check your pictures right away. Now let’s see how you did…” I handed her my Dex and she looked over the pictures with a delighted laugh. “Yup! That’s Mimikyu all right! It’s pretty hard to catch on film, so this is a really great attempt!”

“Thanks,” I grinned, reaching down the scratch the back of Marowak’s head, “but I couldn’t have done it without Marowak here.” Marowak made a pleased sound and leaned into my leg happily. Acerola smiled, pleased.

“Which means…” Acerola pulled something out of the pocket of her dress and pressed it into my hand. The pale lavender crystal glittered in my palm, the Ghost emblem a darker purple. Marowak managed a happy dance, spinning his flaming bone high into the air as I held the Z-Crystal aloft. The Trial was officially complete. Ghostium-Z was ours.

“If you want to use a Ghost-type Z-Power, then you’ve got to move like this!” Acerola crossed her arms in front of her face and then out in front of her before crouching low and swaying upwards, hands posed in front of her in a cat paw-like stance before leaning forward and making a scary, though playful, pose and face. I’m sure I would tweak it to my own style the first time I used it.

My mind wandered back to the building behind me. I wondered if Mimikyu was okay. It looked so heartbroken during the battle, so angry. I didn’t want to leave it like that.

“- and since you passed my trial, you now have my permission to catch Pokémon in the trial site! So, in that old building there,” Acerola was speaking again, pulling me from my thoughts. And here you go!” She thrust ten Dusk Balls into my hands, and I turned to put them into my Bag. “It’s not a bad idea to have some Ghost-type Pokémon on your team!”

I turned and look back at the old building, sitting there in the quiet light of dusk. “No,” I mutter softly, “No it's not.”

I took an unconscious step forward. Marowak reached forward and caught the edge of Acerola’s dress with one of his paws. He started speaking to her in rapid intonations. I heard her laugh as I was studying the building.

“You say the Poké Finder just started up on its own during your trial? Ooo, cut it out, Marowak! You’re just trying to scare me, huh? You’ll have to come up with something a bit more believable than that! There’s not even any room in the back of that shop, for starters! How gullible do you think I am?” I blinked and whirled around. Even Marowak’s face looked shocked.

“Brrr! I feel like I’m getting chicken skin….” Acerola said suddenly, a weird look flitting across her face. Marowak stepped back and looked around. “Like a chill going through me for some reason…” With that she walked off without even a good-bye. I stared after her.

“This whole night was strange, but that was the cherry on top,” I muttered, before looking down at Marowak. “… You’re not ready to go to the Poké Center, are you?” Marowak gave me knowing look and turned to face the Thrifty Megamart entrance.

“Right. Let’s go.”

 

If possible, the store was even quieter the second time. The air was very still; not a single thing moved. I strained my eyes in the dim light. Had things… moved… in here?

I shoved some boxes out of the way as best I could, and Marowak slipped through to clear a path on the other side. Grunting, I managed to wiggle through until I stumbled out close to the rack of dolls that had been levitating, now slumped over and still. 

Marowak and I glanced around, and I worried my bottom lip as my heart started to beat faster. Acerola had been right, the room we were in wasn’t there, and I didn’t know if there was any way we could find-

Marowak grabbed my pants leg, and that’s when I head the sniffling.

There! In the corner, facing a piece of broken glass, was Mimikyu. As we watched, a shadowy hand came out from under the cloth and tried to fix the head of the costume. It slumped limply when Mimikyu let go; it tried again and again with increasing agitation, making a low, repeated noise. Mimikyu let out the most pitiful wail I had ever heard when the head of the costume slumped down once more. My heart hurt when I realised what the low noise was: Mimikyu was crying.

Marowak let out a mournful rumble. I knew my partner hated to be the cause of another’s sorrow, remembering his own pain of losing his mother so very long ago. He hated to see Mimikyu so sad. I took a step towards Mimikyu, and my food nudged a can of Poké food discarded on the ground. I rolled slightly and hit a nearby shelf with a light _thunk._

Mimikyu whirled around, and I sucked in a breath to see tears in its eyes. Mimikyu let out a wail and dashed away.

“Mimikyu, wait--!” I cried out, following it, turning the corner it sped around in time to see it dive under a cardboard box. I could still hear the low sobs.

“Mimikyu…" I tried again, crouching a few feet away from the trembling box. Marowak sat on the linoleum beside me. “We just want to talk. We’re not here to hurt you.”

Mimikyu cried still, and Marowak rumbles uncomfortably. He looked up at me, his eyes pleading, and I tried again. “It’s your costume, isn’t it? It’s very well made, and it looks a lot like Pikachu…” I paused. “Why? Why does it look like Pikachu?” The box’s shaking died down a little, but I could still hear sniffles. I kept talking.

“Pikachu… Everyone knows who that is. Even regions Pikachu isn’t found in. The most famous Pokémon in the world… The most loved. Is that what you want, Mimikyu? To be loved?” The box was still for a long while. Then, ever so slowly, it lifted, and I could see two eyes shining in the darkness.

“I’m sorry we broke your costume, Mimikyu,” I whispered, “It’s obviously very important to you, and we broke it. Can we help? Can I help you fix it?” Nothing moves. Mimikyu doesn’t make a sound. “I’ll be really careful, I promise. I want to help.”

Minutes tick by that feel like hours. My knees start to ache from being crouched down so long. I sigh and start to stand. Marowak keens, but I softly tell him we have to go. I don’t want to upset Mimikyu further. We turn to leave but a rustling sound stops me. The box is shaking again. After a moment a side raises up ever slightly, and a deflated, empty costume is pushed out. I smile widely.

“Marowak?” I ask, and at once he leans his bone against my leg and walks to Mimikyu’s outfit as I walk a bit closer, the bone in my hand. We meet in the halfway point, close enough to give Mimikyu space – it doesn’t want to be seen, I can tell – and yet its precious treasure is still close by. I examine the neck of the costume closely. Mimikyu had put some kind of stick in there to hold the head up, cushioned from poking at the top with fluff and cotton. The stick is cracked completely, split in multiple places. I wince.

“We need something to replace this with,” I mutter to Marowak, carefully pulling out the broken pieces. Marowak jumps and grabs at my shirt sleeve, tugging excitedly. I turn to look at him, and I see him holding a handful of small, thick bones out to me, his eyes pleading, imploring. I rub his head affectionately.

“Nice! See if you can’t find something sticky. Maybe- Is there duct tape in the store somewhere?” I see the edge of the box lift off the floor, and I resolutely do not look at it as Marowak dashes off. I hear rummaging through the shelves near us, and he comes back, holding the requested item. I chuckle, pleasantly surprised. “Good work, buddy.” Marowak chirps back at me happily.

Some of the bones held a slight curve, and I slipped several of them inside the neck and tape them down, managing to prop the costume over my hand to see if the head would stand. Marowak cheered as the costume grinned back at us, its head upright. A little crooked but standing.

“Here you go,” I told Mimikyu, sliding the costume close and then stepping back. The bones were arranged so the costume was still relatively flat on the ground, but Marowak and I turned so Mimikyu could retrieve it safely. We turned at the soft thump that signaled the box touching the ground again, and after a minute or two of rustling, the box opened.

I smiled so hard my cheeks started to hurt at the sight of the little Ghost standing there, its eyes practically shining. I could almost feel the joy radiating from the little Pokémon. Kneeling down to its level, I held out a hand, palm up.

“What do you say, Mimikyu? Want to come with us?” I ask, my voice slightly thick. Marowak nodded eagerly.

Maybe two seconds passed before I was knocked onto my butt with the force of the little yellow and black Pokémon crashing into my chest. I laughed as I wrapped the little guy in a gentle hug, rocking my torso back and forth. Marowak broke into a dance, its staff spinning through the air as he pranced around us, overjoyed. I pressed my face into the soft cloth of Mimikyu’s head – because costume or not, all of the little Pokémon was him, and he was perfect just the way he is.

“Only one thing to make it official,” I whispered, pulling out an empty Poké Ball and pressing the button to expand it. Mimikyu chirped happily and hopped off my chest, dancing backwards to stand in the middle of the aisle. I toss it, and it bounced lightly off of him, enveloping Mimikyu in a red glow that pulled him into the encapsulating device. It fell to the ground and started to shake.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

_Click!_

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I took the title from a song. No, I am not sorry. Comment and Kudos always appreciated <3


End file.
